Pipe coupling



Feb. 22, 1949.,

u. 11 WALKER i2,4

. `PIPE ,GOUPLING Filed Deon. 27, 1944y wayin/dz ide?" Patented Feb 22, 1949 UNITED ermee 2,462,575 rien connubio. nel r. Walker, iiellyvvee, iria. l eppneanen neeernber 27, 1944, e. '565;9135

\ 'I'his invention` relates to a cap for fuel tanks or the like, such as employedrin connection with gasoline and Diesel oil, and it is an object of the invention to provide a` cap of this kind provided With means whereby clogged and dirty tanks can be readily cleaned.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a cap of this vkind provided with means whereby the same may be coupled with a source of air under pressure and in amanner to permit said air to be discharged within the tank through the cap for cleaning the tank.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind having a check-controlled port for communication with a source of air under pressure, together with means for effectively maintaining the desired connection or coupling of the Cap with such source.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved cap for fuel tanks or the like wherebyoertain important advantages are attained', as will be hereinafter more fully setforth.`

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed vto describe .the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a View in bottomplan of a cap for a fuel tankor the like constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Figure 1. Y

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, C denotes the cap body which iits in a well known 4manner over the usual upstanding neck l surrounding the iilling opening of a tank T for gasoline or Diesel oil.

`The central portion of the .head plateZ of the ap body C has clamped to the inner face ,thereof a lug base plate 3 which is held in position by the rivets 4, herein disclosed as two in number and diametrically opposed. These rivets 4 are also disposed through a relatively heavy circular plate 5` whereby the base plate?, and the plate 5 are maintained in position by therivets d.

The plates 3 and 5Y andthe head plate 2 to one side of their.4 centers are provided therethrough with an opening 6 intowhich `threads from above a short bent pipe 'I and suitably coupled with the outer portion f this pipe l is sa, pressure `gauge 3 or safety valve for determining the proper application of the air pressure injected into the tank.

It has been found of advantage to interpose be- :l the base plate 5 claims. (o1. ,se-10s) tween theplates g and gasket# or 4tolll'oyiife other means,v such: as SQlder, weldingrpr brazing, to` prevent leakage between such plates, .,.It is also desirablekto solder, `weld ,orE braze over the heads oi the rivets@ `to `prevent leakage., U l.

The marginalpportion.)othe base p lat'e is provided with the dening `lange l provided at its outer or ireexmarginal portionwith the outstanding holding VAlugs aU for coaction .int awell known manner with the neck I for holding the capCin applied position. The` marginal portion ofythe head p'late,. ?r of the cap C has disposed over its. under` surface a surrounding washer, Ilglwhich is positioned .bef-Y tween the flange iii andthe peripheral Vlangeld of the cap C. u `This fla-nge, Ul` ,hasfcontactwith the outer end of` the necli...! ofthetank .to assure an airftight sealwhenthe cap is applied.. Y

tIt 4is believedM to be obvious, tand .without re.- quiring illustration', that if desiredthe base plate together with theplate 5, may be integral with the plate 2 of thecap C., The plates 2, 3 and 5 n at themoppos'ite side ofthe center from the opening `6areprovidcid therethrough withna `second opening n,lil .into which threads from abona a tubular shank-' the lever, edge oi whichrhas itsninnermxnarginal portionv suitably-formed to provide aj'seatuifY forthe ball valve I8 positioned therebelqw andh `which ball valve It coacts with. the vseat ilrto prevent retrograde ilow out through the shank'lm y The opening o`r downward movement ofthe ball valve i8 is limitedby thelugs iQcarriedby n 3 and extending inwardly1 vofwthe opening I5..Y Theseelugs or 1their equivalent form no hindrance or obstruction to the desired ilow of air through the cap C and into the tank upon which .thecap .may-.be appliechv I The outer portion .olif-the tubular shank l is formed toprovide a cup-like head 22 into which threads the outeruen'd portion of an arcuate tremity Z! of a tubular member or pipe 2,2. V'Ihe opposite end portion of the pipe 2 2 is continued by alaterallydisposed extension at right angles to the axis of the pipe 2 2 dand which is adapted to have coacltion withv aconventional type of nozzle head 2 4carriedby`a ilegg; ible hose 25 leading -i'roin a suitablezsoure `QiairA under pressure, such as is generally to be found at lling stations. ,l Q (A y,

When this head 2i. is' .tigllilrtrased aaainstthe outer end of the extension 23, the usual valve within the head will open and thus permit air under pressure to pass into the tank 'I' to which the Cap C is applied and the amount of pressure within the tank T can be readily determined. by the gauge 8.

Resting from above on the member or pipe 22 is an end portion 26 of an elongated resilient strip S of steel or other desired material. This end portion 26 is spot-welded, as at 21, or otherwise securely attached to the member or pipe 22.

The inner end of the portion 26 is continued by a :downwardly curved portion 2S provided with an elongated slot 29 through which the member or pipe 22 is disposed and this curved portion 28 is continued by a downwardly and outwardly inclined portion 39, the outer extremity of which is formed to provide an upwardly facing pocket 3i in which is snugly received the nozzle head 29 Yhereinbefore referred to. The strip S outwardly of this pocket 3l is flared, as at 32, in a manner to facilitate the placement of the head 24 within the pocket 3i.

Riveted, as at 32', or otherwise anchored to the upper face of the portion 39 of the strip S and inwardly of the extension 23 is an end portion of a supplemental spring strip 35i of steel or other suitable material. This strip 34 is of a length to extend beyond the extension 23 and is provided with a suitably positioned opening 35 through which the free extremity of the extension 23 passes when the portion 30 of the strip S has requisite pressure imposed thereon to bring the nozzle head 24 into proper engagement with the outer or free end of the extension 33. This spring strip 34 provides means for effectively maintaining the nozzle head 24 in the pocket 3l and particularly during the squeezing operation, for bringing said head 24 into proper engagement with the extension 33.

When it is desired to deliver air under pressure within the tank, the head 24 is placed within the pocket 3l of the portion 39 of the strip S, which al-so may be termed an adapter, and the member or pipe 22 and the portion 39 is grasped by a hand so that the required pressure may be created for maintaining the head 24 in requisite contact with the extension 33.

It is to be pointed out that the slot 29 hereinbefore referred to serves to lessen the tension of the portion 39, whereby is materially reduced the required pressure to be exerted upon the portion 30 to bring the nozzle head 24 into working' engagement with the extension 33.

From the foregoing( description it i-s thought to be obvious that a cap for fuel tanks or the like constructedin accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with whichit may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

1. A cap for the filling opening of a fuel tank or the like, said cap including a head plate having an opening therethrough, a tubular member connected at one end with said opening for communication through the cap with the interior of the tank, the outer end of the tubular member being angled to open downwardly when the cap is in applied position, means carried by the tubular member and having spaced relation with the said outer end of such member for supporting a fluid delivery nozzle in spaced relation with the adjacent end of the tubular member, and -said nozzle supporting means being resilient and when flexed towardl the adjacent end of the tubular member functioning to shift a supported nozzle to position against the end of the tubular member.

2. A cap for the lling opening of a fuel tank or the like, said cap including a head plate having an opening therethrough, a tube connected at one end with said opening for the introduction of a fluid through the opening into a tank, the outer end of said tube being arranged to be directed downwardly when the cap is in applied position, a resilient arm carried by the tube and having a terminal portion formed to provide a pocket, the pocket Ibeing designed to receive the delivery nozzle o-f a fluid delivery tube, said pocket being directed toward and in spaced relation with the said other end of the first tube to support the nozzle in -spaced relation with said other end of the first tube, and resilient means carried by the resilient arm and arranged to maintain a nozzle in position in said pocket.

3. A cap for the filling opening of a fuel tank or the like as described in claim 2, wherein the Said resilient means comprises a relatively long strip of material secured at one end to said arm and being interposed adjacent to its other end between the said other end of the first tube and the pocket, said strip of material having an opening therethrough which is axially aligned with the adjacent tube end.

4. A cap for the filling opening of a fuel tank or the like, said cap including a head plate havin T an opening therethrough, a tubular member coupled to the head plate for discharge through the opening in the head plate, and means carried by the outer portion of the tubular member for supporting a delivery nozzle in position for movement toward and into engagement with the outer end of the tubular member, comprising a resilient arm' carried by the tubular member and having a pocket opposed to the outer end of the tubular member, said pocket receiving the nozzle head.

5. A cap for the filling opening of a fuel tank or the like, said cap including a head plate having an opening therethrough, a tubular member coupled to the head plate for discharge through the opening in the head plate, and means carried by the outer portion of the tubular member for supporting a delivery nozzle in position for movement toward and into engagement with the outer end of the tubular member, comprising a resilient arm carried by the tubular member and having a pocket opposed to the outer end of the tubular member, said pocket receiving the nozzle head, and means carried by said resilient arm for holding the nozzle head in the pocket when said nozzle head is free of contact with the outer end of the tubular member.

UEL T. WALKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STA'IESy PATENTS Number Name Date 1,472,643 Fleming et al Oct. 30, 1923 1,691,374 Birkenmaier Nov. 13, 1928 2,007,100 Varese July 2, 1935 2,019,289 Bock Oct. 29, 1935 2,094,347 Cady Sept. 28, 1937 2,102,124 Lithgow Dec. 14, 1937 2,326,213 Gor-rien Aug. 10, 1943 2,426,739 Le Clair Sept. 2, 1947 

